Automatic water-heater



H( P. FISHER.

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED MILS. I9II. RENEWED FEB. Il. I9I9.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

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H. P. FISHER.

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER.

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HERBERT PAYNE FISHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC WATER-HEATER.

pecioation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application led January 8, 1917, Serial No. 141,244. Renewed February 11, 1919. Serial No. 276,422.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERBERT PAYNE FISHER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Los Angeles, in the count of Los Ange es and State of California, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Water-Heaters; and I do declaro the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same:

This invention relates to automatic instantaneous water heaters and to the mechanism for controlling the supply of gas used for heating the water.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient heater of this character which is so constructed that the coil will not scale or lime up, all of the deposits being broken up during its use.

Another object is to provide a thermostatic regulating valve having an extended range of action.

. Another object is to provide a valve of this character which operates freely under all conditions; opens qulcklv when the water in the heaters becomes co d, allowing the water to How immediately through the coil, and closes immediately the water reaches the required tem p erature.

Still another o ject is to provide a valve of thi's character so'constructed as to render all'parts easily removable to facilitate reairs.

Another object is to provide for the adjustment of the valve operatin mechanism so that the valves will cut off t e fuel supply when the water reaches a predetermined temperature. v

With the foregoing andother objects in view, which will appear as the description roceeds, the invention resides in the oomination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it bein understood that changes inthe precise em odiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the sco eof what is claimed without departing om the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertica section with. the parts in side elevation of a heater constructed in accordance with this invention Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section taken on the la@l ae 6i` rig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section through the valve casin and thermostat showing the connections tween the valve and thermostat;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section through sleeve 41.

In the embodiment illustrated, a boiler 1 is shown which may be of any type of receptacle from which water is drawn off for household or other purposes and which is preferably mounted within an insulated casing 1 which serves to retain the heat within the boiler.

This boiler has an outlet 2 at its top through which the heated water is drawn and has a gravity outlet pipe 3 at its bottom which connects the boiler with a thermostatc casing 13 to be described.

A water leg or ipe 4 extends through the bottom of the boi er to a point near its top and is designed for conveying hot water into the boiler and discharging it thereinto at the top ready to be drawn out throu h the outlet 2, it bein well understood t at owing to the natura law of gravity, the hotter of two bodies of water ascends while a corresponding volume of cold water will fall.

The water leg 4 is connected below the bottom of the boiler with a heater coil 5 by a curved pipe 6 which connects with a coupling 7 on pipe 4 and with another coupling 8 carried by the upper end of the coii 5 and which connects said coil with a pipe 9 leading to ,a radiator (not shown) or ot er desired point.

This coil 5 is formed of metal tubing wound in truncated cone or pyramide] sha e and is disposed in a chamber 10 below t e boiler. A gas burner 11 is arranged below said coil so that the heat and iameiemanating therefrom asses up through the rcoil and strikes the ottoni of the boilerI which deects it down against the outery face of the coil, the exhausted heat passing out through a iiue opening 12 formed in the side ofthe chamber 10.

A horizontally disv osed thermostat cas-y 13 is' up'ported be ow the burner 11. and ere siown cylindrical in form with a coupli 14 at one endh with which is connested e lower end of the coil 5. A com in 1s pling 15""(i`s4 secured' to the "other end of the casing, said coupling being what is termed a four-wa couplingand having a screw threaded plug 16 in the outer end which is arranged in longitudinal alinclnent with thc casing, a thermostatic tube 17 be- `ing mounted4 in saidfcasing and carried by sald plugas shown clearly in Fig. 3, the pur ose of which will be presently descri edm i y y.

`The gravity pipe 3 which leads from thc bottom of the boiler `1 connects with the upper end of the coupling V15 and the opposed endof` said coupling is designed to be connected with a cold Water supply pipe through which Water for filling the system is deslgnedtto enter.

The thermostatic tube 17 is composed of brass or any suitable metal which readily contracts and expands under the influences of heat and cold and which terminates within the casing 13 at a point spaced from its rear end a suliicient distance-to permit said tube toexpand under the action of hot water flowing through the casing 13.

A bracket 18 is supported on the front end of the casingl and carries a valve cas- .,ing 19 which is, disposed in the gas line or main pipe of a gassystem, This casing 19 .may be of any suitable or desired conforma- .tiQfn alldfhere shown cylindrical with an roffset chamber 20 at one side thereof which carries a needle valve 21 which controls the supply of gas to a pilot light which is positioned ad'acent the burner so that said burner will light when the gas is turned on` A bell crank lever 22 is fulerumed on the bracket 18 and one arm 23 thereof is positioned in the path of a thermostat-actuated rod 24 which is inclosed in the thermostat tube 17, said rod projectin throu h the outer end of the plu normally en- 1h16 an gagmg the afin- 23 oft e lever 229s is shown clear y 1ni Fig, 3. This rod 24 is composed of any suitable non-expansible and contractible material,` being preferably composed of six parte ground flint one art diatomaceous earth an one paltiPort and cement, with enough water to make a thick paste. This mixture is then formed into the desired shape and baked and shows less expansion when heated than either carbon or porcelain, hence adapting it especially for the use for which it is intended.

The `otltegrarna 23 of the bell cpanlr22 extends in a horizontal plane and' 1s designed to be engaged by a roller 25y carried by a vertically movableirod 26,which is mounted to reciprocate-in a lsleeve spends from the bottoni of the valve casing 9. Secured ,within the; casing 19 is a registering sleeve A8 `provided with aliaterally extending bifurcated lug 29 into which is desi ed to. extend a fin er SQwhich depends om lowerfagce 0` thedisk valve ,31 disposed Within the casing 19 and which is designed to scat on an annular flange 32 carried by the side Walls of the casing between its upper and lower ends. This valve 31 has a knifeedged flange 33 extending laterally around its lower face at the periphery thereof and which insures airtight engagement of the valve with its seat. When the Enger 3 0 of said valve is engaged by the bifurcated lug 29, the valve is held against turning but is permitted tomove vertically within the casing; the finger 3() being suliiciently long to be engaged always with said lug no matter in what position the valve may be disposed. The casing 19 is preferably closed by a cap 34 having an annular exteriorly threaded flange 35 on its lower face spaced inwardly from itsperimeter a distance equal to the thickness of the side walls of the casing, said threaded Harige bein designed for threaded engagement with t e inner faces of said side walls which are corresponda ly threaded to receive it. This closure 34 as a central aperture 36 around which is formed an annular boss 37. y

The valve 31 and its seat 32 forms a horizontal partition within the casing 19 and a as inlet 38 communicates with the lower po ion of the casn below the valve, while an Outlet 39 whichgleads to the burner 11 communicates With the casing above said valve, said outlet 39 being connected with the burner by a suitable pipe 40. It will thus be seent that when the valve is seated in closed position the gas supply will be cut oil' from said burner and the pilot light only supplied, and `when the valve is opened the burner is put in communication with he gas main and gas is caused to liow to the urner which is ignited by the pilot in the usual manner.

An i ternally threaded sleeve 41 extends central y through the valve 31 projectin both abovey and below said valve, being fixe 'to said valve and preferably made integral therewith. Une end of said sleeve is positioned in the sleeve 28 within the casing` and and into which extends the rod 26 which is in operative engrlement with the be-ll crank lever arm 23 e u per end of the sleeve 41 extends `thnough t e central opening 36 in the casing closure 34 and through the is preferably of the samethiekness as the washer 44 and has a projection 46 on its upper face around the opening therein so that when the washers are forced toward the closure 34 the' leather washer is caused to enter the aperture 36 and forms an effective packing. The washer is held in position by a spiral spring 47 coiled around the sleeve 41 and which bears at one end aga/inst the washer 45 and at its other end against the 10 valve 31 and operates to hold the Washer in position and to force the valve downwardly into engagement with its seat, thus performing a double function and preventing any lost motion.

From the above description, it will be obvious that when the water flowing through the casing 13 is cold, the tube 17 will eontract and thereby forcibly eject the rod 24, causing it to move forward into engagement ,with the arm 23 of the bell crank 22 and this movement of said lever causes its other arm 23 to move upwardly and thereby raise the rod 26 and the shank 43 resting thereon, thus raising sleeve 41 and opening the valve 31 and permitting the gas to fiow freely to the burner 11 where it is ignited by the pilot and the ame from which quickly heats the water in the coil 5 causing it to circulate and pass upward into the 'boiler 1 through 30 the connections above described and also out through the pipe 9 to a radiator if the device be used in connection with such. When the water reaches a predetermined temperature, the heat thereof will cause the tube 17 to eX- pand and permit the rod 24 under the weight of the lever 22 and the parts bearing thereon to move inwardly into the tube 17, thus causing the lever arm 23 to drop and the valve 31 to seat under the action of the spring 47, thereby cutting ol" the gas supply to the burner 11 and preventing the water from overheating.

It will thus be seen that this heater is entirely automatic and is controlled by the temperature of the water which flows through the thermostat casing 13. When the water gets cold, the thermostat operates to open the valve for supplying fuel to the burner and when it reaches a predetermined heat, it operates to permit the closing of the valve under the action of its spring 47 and cut oil' the fuel supply. thereby economizing greatly in fuel and at the same time keeping the water within the system at a predetermined temperature.

The valve may be set to open at any de sii-ed temperature of the water by varying the distance between the end of the eXpansion tube 17 and valve, which is accomplished by turning the hand wheel 42 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 5, the adjusting screw 43 carried by said wheel being a right hand threaded screw; therefore when the wheel is turned in the direction of arrow a, the distance between the end of the tube 17 and the lower end of spindle 43 is increased and when it is turned in the direction of arrow b, it is correspondingly decreased. This varying of the dis tance between the lower end of spindle 43 70 and the open end of the expansion tube provides for the opening of valve 31 according to the temperature of the water, and which is controlled by the adjustment of spindle 43 relative to rod 26. 75

It will be understood that when the spindle 43 is raised it will be necessary that rod 26 be lifted a greater distance before the upper end thereof abuts the spindle and opcrates to open the valve, and consequently rod 24 must be correspondingly projected in order to so raise rod 26. The projection of rod 24 is controlled by the contraction of tube 17 which occurs on the lowering of the temperature of the surrounding water and 8o hen-ce the temperature of the water must be lower when spindle 43 is raised before the opening of the valve will take Place, and vice versa. When spindle 43 is lowered the rod 24 will operate to open the valve on a J0 slight drop in temperature of the water.

In the operation of this apparatus, cold water is admitted through the opening 15' in the coupling 15 until the system becomes filled and when the gas is lighted at the burner 11, the water in coil 5 is quickly heated and circulation through the system started, the water passing from the coil 5 in the boiler 1 through the pipe 4 and into the raditaors through pipe 9 and returns to casing 100 lthrough opening 15. The water from the boiler pipe 3 enters the coupling 15 and passes through the casing 13 into the lower end of the coil 5 connected with the coupling 14, the water thus flowing over the thermostatic tube 17 which controls the How of fuel to the burner.

If water is drawn from the boiler 1 through the outlet 2, cold water from the lower end of the boiler iows over the thermostat tube through the casing 13, thereby causing said tube to contract and the flow of fuel to be instantly turned on, thus rendering the device instantaneous, the turning on and cutting off of the fuel being dependent upon the temperature of the water which flows over the thermostat tube. This apparatus has no mixer, consequently there can be no flash-back, thu-s avoiding danger of explosion.

The coil 5 of this apparatus will not scale or lime up, owing to the fact that cold water is admitted to the coil, causing it to contract and expand quickly, thus breaking up all deposits and preventing scaling.

I claim:

In a thermal valve, a casing having an apertured partition, supply and outlet means at opposite sides of said artition, a tubular guide on one end of t e casing 130 in line with the aperture of said partition and a stuffing box on the other end of sai-d easing in line with said guide, said guide extending into said easing and having an apertuied lateral lug on its innei` end, a

.aperture of said lapertured lu` Whereb the movement of the valve, and a finger extending froIn said valve parallel With said tubular hub and received slidably in the to prevent rotation of said va ve and ub when said sel-ew is adjusted.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in);l hand 1n the presence of two subecribillg Witnesses.

HERBERT PAYNE FISHER.

Witnesses:

C. H. SAYLES, O. H. COPE.

copies of this patent muy be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissinner o1' Patents, Washington, D. C. 

